Apron or like garment

ABSTRACT

An apronlike garment having pockets adapted to support relatively heavy loads therein such as those carried by &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;change girls&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; that provide coin in exchange for paper money for persons playing slot machines and similar devices at gambling casinos. The apron is effective to distribute such heavy loads about the waist and over the shoulders of a person wearing the garment so that such loads are not concentrated at one location as is usually the case. The apron includes a depending skirt having one or more pockets, a bib attached to the skirt so as to extend upwardly therefrom to the shoulders of a person wearing the garment, a back section releasably attached to the bib adjacent the shoulders and equipped with a backband for encircling the waist of such person to snugly secure the back section thereto, and a waistband attached to the skirt and bib and extending rearwardly therefrom so as to overlie the backband. Means are provided for releasably interconnecting the waistband with the backband so as to transfer and distribute a portion of the load to the back section.

United States Patent Bonnie Strehlan [72] Inventor 2318 Mono Ave., El Cerrito, Calif. 94530 [2]] Appl. No. 841,395 [22] Filed July 14, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [54] APRON 0R LIKE GARMENT 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Flgs.

2,620,476 12/1952 Kelsall 2/74 2,638,598 5/1953 Abramson 2/75 2,666,920 1/1954 Lang 2/75 Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney-Joseph B. Gardner ABSTRACT: An apronlike garment having pockets adapted to support relatively heavy loads therein such as those carried by "change girls" that provide coin in exchange for paper money for persons playing slot machines and similar devices at gambling casinos. The apron is effective to distribute such heavy loads about the waist and over the shoulders of a person wearing the garment so that such loads are not concentrated at one location as is usually the case. The apron includes a depending skirt having one or more pockets, a bib attached to the skirt so as to extend upwardly therefrom to the shoulders of a person wearing the garment, a back section releasably at tached to the bib adjaeentthe shoulders and equipped with a backhand for encircling the waist of such person to snugly secure the back section thereto, and a waistband attached to the skirt and bib and extending rearwardly therefrom so as to overlie the backhand. Means are provided for releasably interconnecting the waistband with the backband so as to transfer and distribute a portion of the load to the back section.

PATENTEU mm 1911 3601.815

INVENTOR.

fionnia ATTORNEY APRON OR LIKE GARMENT This invention relates to an overgarment adapted to be worn over the street clothing usually worn by one working in premises maintained at room temperature and, more particularly, to an apron or the like having pockets that are adapted to receive relatively heavy loads therein.

There are many environments to which working men and women must carry tools, equipment and other relatively heavy loads on their person as they perform the task to which they are assigned. Most frequently the personnel in such environments is constituted of workmen well able to support such loads without injury and for relatively long periods without becoming tired as a consequence thereof. There is one notable instance in which women are involved in carrying such loads and it involves the job of change girl at gambling casinos. Such girls circulate about the customers playing slot machines and devices of this type and provide a source of ready change in the denominations required to play such machines and devices. The quantity of change carried by a change girl is often of the order of 50 pounds, and it results in considerable discomfort and quickly brings on fatigue especially because the load tends to be concentrated across the back of the girl since the coins are carried in pockets provided in a skirt that extends downwardly along the front or anterior of the girl and is supported or slung across her back at the wrist.

In view of the foregoing an object, among others, of the present invention is to provide an apron or like garment of improved characteristics adapted to carry relatively heavy loads and to distribute such loads about the person wearing the garment. Another object of the invention is that of providing an improved garment of the type described in which coins or like loads that are relatively heavy and which are supported in pockets provided by the garment along a depending skirt por tion thereof tend to be distributed about the waist and transferred in part to the shoulders of a person wearing the garment.

Still another object is in the provision of an improved apron or the like that is adjustable at various locations so that it readily accommodates persons of different size and shape, and that is also adjustable to accommodate any unusual structural characteristics of such person. A further object of the invention is to provide an apron or the like of the type set forth that includes a skirt adapted to extend downwardly from the waist of a person wearing the apron and which skirt is attached to a bib extending upwardly therefrom and is equipped with shoulder straps to which are releasably attached a pair of backstraps comprising a part of a back section of the apron that extends downwardly from the shoulders and is equipped at its lower end with a backband adapted to snugly encircle the waist of a person wearing the apron; the backband being adjustable and having releasably secured thereto a waistband attached to the bib and shirt and extending rearwardly therefrom so as to overlie the backband.

Additional objects and advantageous of the invention, especially as concerns particular features and details thereof, will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of a garment embodying the invention shown in position on a person wearing the same;

FIG. 2 is a broken perspective view showing the back section of the garment;

FIG. 3 is a broken side view in elevation of the garment;

FIG. 4 is a broken perspective view depicting the interconnection of the shoulder and back strap and adjustability thereof;

FIG. 5 is a broken top plane view of the straps shown in FIG. 4 and illustrating further adjustability thereof; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged broken side view and elevation showing the components of one of the fastening means in spacedapart relation.

The garment shown inthe drawing is designated in its entirety with the numeral 10 and it may be descriptively termed an apron and is especially adapted for use in supporting relatively heavy loads such as those carried by change girls" that circulate the gambling areas of casinos to convert paper money of the customers into change which can be used in slot machines and similar devices; The garment I0 essentially comprises three major components constituting a skirt 11 which is adapted to extend downwardly from the waist and along the front or anterior of a person wearing the garment, a bib 12 attached to the skirt 11 so as to extend upwardly therefrom, and a back section 14 attached to the bib so as to extend downwardly therefrom to the waist of the person wearing the garment. The garment 10 may be made from any material usually employed for garments of this type and in the usual instance the material will be a fabric, cloth or plastic or admixtures thereof, and as a specific example a strong durable material such as nylon is advantageously used.

The skirt 11 is relatively wide so as to extend substantially from side to side of the person wearing the garment, as shown in FIG. 1, and it is equipped with a'plurality of pockets certain of which are quite large as shown at 15, 16 and 17 and others of which may be somewhat smaller and may be respectively disposed at least in part within the pockets l5, l6 17 as shown by the numerals 18, 19 and 20. All of the pockets are constructed so as to carry relatively heavy loads, and in the particular instance shown the pockets are adapted to receive coins therein both rolled and loose. As indicated hereinbefore the weight of such coins is often of the order of pounds. The garment may also be provided with openings (not shown) adapted to have the fingers of a coin changer 21 inserted thereinto.

The bib 13 is fixedly or permanently attached to the skirt 11 as by being sewn or stitched thereto, and it is formed of two substantially identical pieces 22 and 24 each of which extends upwardly from the waist and then across each other transversely as shown in FIG. 1. The pieces 22 and 24 are relatively wide at their lower ends so as to extend substantially from side to side of the person wearing the garment, and each piece tapers to a reduced width at its upper end so as to provide a relatively large opening therebetween accommodating the head and neck of a wearer and to provide shoulder straps 25 and 26 respectively adapted to pass over the shoulders of such wearer. The usual details of garment fabrication are incorporated into the bib 12 and, accordingly, in the event that the garment is intended for a woman, the customary inwardly ex tending darts 27 and 28 are included to fit the bib to the bustline and upwardly extending darts or tucks 29 and 30 are provided to accommodate the narrowing waist.

The back section 14 is also connected of two substantially identical pieces 31 and 32 which cross each other transversely, as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the pieces 31 and 32 is quite wide at its lower end so that they extend well along the sides of a person wearing the garment and, in fact, partially encircle the waist thereof. The pieces 31 and 32 narrow as they extend upwardly from the waist and terminate in backstraps 34 and 35 that are respectively associated with the shoulder strap 25 and 26 and are adapted to be detachably secured thereto. At their lower ends, the backpieces 31 and 32 are secured fixedly to each other and this is accomplished by stitching or sewing each to a backband 36 which has free end portions 37 and 38 adapted to be releasably interconnected so as to secure the back section 14 snugly about the waist of a person wearing the garment.

As stated hereinbefore the skirt 11 and bib 12 are fixedly secured to each other and in this respect each is attached to a waistband 39 by being stitched or sewn thereto, and the waistband has a free end portion 40 at each terminus thereof adapted to overlie the backband 36 and be releasably interconnected therewith as shown best in FIG. 3. The backband 36 and waistband 39 are advantageously made relatively stiff so as to resist deformation in transverse directions therealong (i.e. vertically as the bands are shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) although they are quite flexible in longitudinal directions, i.e., enabling the bands to be readily overlapped in encircling relation about the waist of a person wearing the garment. Such stiffeningis accomplished in any conventional manner, as for example, by using multiple layers of material and by enclosing buckram or comparable stifiening material within the layers forming the bands. As will be disclosed hereinafter, the considerable weight defined by the contents of the skirt pockets is distributed about the garment through the waistband 39 and backband 36', and their relative stiffness contributes to the effectiveness of such distribution.

Although various arrangements may be used to effect the releasable interconnection of the free end portions 37 and 38 of the backband 36, the free end portions 40 of the waistband 39 with the backband 36, and each of the backstraps 34 and 35 with their respectively associated shoulder straps and 26, the particular arrangements incooperated into the garment 10 are especially advantageous because they also afiord a wide range of adjustment so as to permit the garment to be fitted to persons of different size and also to accommodate any differences for abnormalities that might for example make a person asymmetrical. It might also be observed that different releasable fastening techniques might be used as between the several locations noted but in the garment 10 each of the releasable fastening techniques is the same. Consequently, a description of any one is an adequate treatment of this feature but for descriptive convenience and for purposes of subsequent differentiation the means releasably interconnecting the free end portion 40 of the waistband 39 with the backband 36 will be referred to as securing means,the means releasably connecting the free end portions 37 and 38 of the back band 36 will be denominated fastener means, and the means enabling each of the backstraps 3 4 and35 to be connected to its associated shoulder strap .25 and 26 will be referred to as attachment means.

Each such securing, fastener, and attachment means, as shown best in FIG. 6 (the attachment means associated with ,the shoulder strap 26 and backstrap 35 being used for specificity), includes cooperative components 44 and 45 respectively carried by the members to be detachably interconnected which in the specific illustration constitutes the backstrap 35 and shoulder strap 26. The components 44 and 45 are interlockingly engageable with each other and when so engaged are effective to resist separation upon application of a longitudinal tensile force therebetween generally along the lengths of the members being connected which in PK]. 4 is in the directions tending to pull the backstrap 35 and shoulder strap 26 downwardly. However, the components 44 and 45 are readily separable upon application of a transverse force thereto tending to peel one of the components from the other as is indicated in FIG. 2 by the relative positions of the straps 26 and 35.

The components 44 and 45 constitute two strips of material respectively secured to the backstrap 35 and shoulder strap 26 so as to be disposed in contiguous facing juxtaposition, as shown in FIG. 4, whenever the straps are interconnected. The component 44 includes a relatively thin backing sheet 46 stitched to the strap 35 and along its outer face the backing sheet is provided with a relatively high pile nap 47 defining a mass of soft fibers along one face thereof. The component 45 also includes a backing sheet 48 stitched to the strap 26, and projecting from the face of the sheet 48 are ordered rows of stifi needlelike locking fingers 49 turned laterally at their outer endsso as to interlockingly engage the fibers 47. The locking fingers 49 interlockingly engage the fibrous mass 47 when pressed thereagainst and relative translational displacements between the two components 44 and 45-is thereby resisted. However, the components can be separated by the peeling action heretofore described. A fastener of the type described is sold commercially in retail outlets under the name Velcro."

Each of the securing, fastener, and attachment means is constructed in the same manner and comprises two components interlockingly engageable as described. Each such means is also adjustable in the sense that no particular orientation of the components 44 and 45 is required to effect the releasable interengagement thereof and, as noted in FIG. 4, the two straps 26 and 35 can be disposed in the relative positions shown by full lines or the effective length of the straps can be reduced or shortened by interconnecting the straps so that the backstrap 35 is located in the dotted line position. Further the straps 26 and 35 can be angularly disposed with respect to each other and still be interconnected as shown in FIG. 5. The same adjustment pertains as to the securing means interconnecting the free end portions 37 and 38 of the backband 26 so that to shorten the band thefree end 37 is simply secured to the end 38 at a different relative position as, for example, the one shown by broken lines in FIG. 2 in which the efiective length of the band is shortened. Analogously, as respects the securing means by which the waistband 39 is secured to the backband 36, the waistband may be more tightly cinched around the waist of the person wearing the apron simply by moving one or the other or both of the free end portions 40 of the waistband along the backband 36 in a greater overlapping extent as shown, for example, by the broken-lines position of the end portion 40 in FIG. 3.

Usually the garment 40 will have the backstraps 34 and 35 respectively secured to the shoulder straps 25 and 26 so that the garment is positioned upon a person that is to wear the same by slipping it over her head whereupon the bib 12 and back section 14 depend freely from the shoulders of such person. Then the backband 36 is drawn tightly about the waist and is secured in such position by pressing the free end portions 37 and 38 together. Next the waistband 39 is drawn tightly about the waist and each of the free end portions 40 is pressed against the outer surface of the backband so as to snugly secure the waistband thereto. Should any adjustment of the shoulder lengths be necessary, one or the other or both of the backstraps 34 and 35 are peeled upwardly and rearwardly from the underlying shoulder straps 25 and 26 and are drawn forwardly to a tight comfortable position before being pressed downwardly to effect the interlocking intergag ement of the attachment means associated therewith.

The garment is in proper position for use and heavy loads contained within the various pockets with which the skirt 1 l is provided are distributed along the waistband 39 and backband 36 and a portion of such load is transferred to the shoulders of the person by the bib 12 and back section 14. Thus, a well-distributed loading is effective which is comfortably supported by the person wearing the apron, partly from the shoulders thereof but primarily from the waist.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention is described in considerable detail for purposes of making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such detail without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

What is claimed is;

1. An apron or like garment, comprising a skirt adapted to extend downwardly from the waist and along the anterior of a person wearing said garment and being provided with at least one pocket for receipt of relatively heavy loads therein, a bib attached to said skirt so as to extend upwardly therefrom and having a pair of shoulder straps respectively adapted to pass over the shoulders of such person, a back section attached to said bib adjacent said shoulder straps so as to extend downwardly therefrom to the waist of such person and being equipped with a backband having free end portions, fastener means for releasably and adjustably interconnecting said free end portions to enable said backband to encircle and snugly secure said back section about the waist of such person, a waistband having free end portions extending rearwardly from said skirt and bib along each side thereof so as to at least partially encircle the waist of such person in overlying relation with said backband, and securing means for releasably and adjustably interconnecting said free end portions of said waistband directly with said backband so as to distribute a portion of such load to said backsection and therethrough to the shoulders of such person wearing said garment.

2. The garment of claim 1 in which said back section is provided with a pair of backstraps at its upper end respectively associated with said shoulder straps, a and further comprising attachment means for releasably and adjustably connecting each of said backstraps with the shoulder strap associated therewith.

3. The garment of claim 1 in which said back section comprises two pieces crossing each other and the trunk of such person transversely.

4. The garment of claim 3 in which each of said pieces is relatively wide at its lower end to extend substantially across the entire trunk of a person wearing the garment and progressively narrows toward the strap thereof.

5. The garment of claim 3 in which said back section is provided with a pair of backstraps at its upper end respectively associated with said shoulder straps, and further comprising attachment means for releasably and adjustably connecting each of said backstraps with the shoulder strap associated therewith.

6. The garment of claim 5 in which each of said securing means, fastener means and attachment means includes cooperative components respectively carried by said backband and the free end portions of said waistband in the caseof said securing means, by the free end portions of said backband in the case of said fastener means, and by each of said shoulder straps and the backstraps respectively associated therewith in the case of said fastener means.

7. The garment of claim 6 in which the cooperative components of each of said means are interlocking engageable with each other and are effective to resist separation upon application of longitudinal tensile forces thereto but are readily separable upon application of a transverse force thereto tending to peel one component from the other.

8. The garment of claim 7 in which said skirt is provided with a plurality of pockets adapted to receive coins and the like therein.

9. The garment of claim 8 in which said bib comprises two pieces each of which is relatively wide at its lower end and progressively narrows toward the strap thereof. 

1. An apron or like garment, comprising a skirt adapted to extend downwardly from the waist and along the anterior of a person wearing said garment and being provided with at least one pocket for receipt of relatively heavy loads therein, a bib attached to said skirt so as to extend upwardly therefrom and having a pair of shoulder straps respectively adapted to pass over the shoulders of such person, a back section attached to said bib adjacent said shoulder straps so as to extend downwardly therefrom to the waist of such person and being equipped with a backband having free end portions, fastener means for releasably and adjustably interconnecting said free end portions to enable said backband to encircle and snugly secure said back section about the waist of such person, a waistband having free end portions extending rearwardly from said skirt and bib along each side thereof so as to at least partially encircle the waist of such person in overlying relation with said backband, and securing means for releasably and adjustably interconnecting said free end portions of said waistband directly with said backband so as to distribute a portion of such load to said back section and therethrough to the shoulders of such person wearing said garment.
 2. The garment of claim 1 in which said back section is provided with a pair of backstraps at its upper end respectively associated with said shoulder straps, a and further comprising attachment means for releasably and adjustably connecting each of said backstraps with the shoulder strap associated therewith.
 3. The garment of claim 1 in which said back section comprises two pieces crossing each other and the trunk of such person transversely.
 4. The garment of claim 3 in which each of said pieces is relatively wide at its lower end to extend substantially across the entire trunk of a person wearing the garment and progressively narrows toward the strap thereof.
 5. The garment of claim 3 in which said back section is provided with a pair of backstraps at its upper end respectively associated with said shoulder straps, and further comprising attachment means for releasably and adjustably connecting each of said backstraps with the shoulder strap associated therewith.
 6. The garment of claim 5 in which each of said securing means, fastener means and attachment means includes cooperative components respectively carried by said backband and the free end portions of said waistband In the case of said securing means, by the free end portions of said backband in the case of said fastener means, and by each of said shoulder straps and the backstraps respectively associated therewith in the case of said fastener means.
 7. The garment of claim 6 in which the cooperative components of each of said means are interlocking engageable with each other and are effective to resist separation upon application of longitudinal tensile forces thereto but are readily separable upon application of a transverse force thereto tending to peel one component from the other.
 8. The garment of claim 7 in which said skirt is provided with a plurality of pockets adapted to receive coins and the like therein.
 9. The garment of claim 8 in which said bib comprises two pieces each of which is relatively wide at its lower end and progressively narrows toward the strap thereof. 